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Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between women's body image, self-image, and sexual behaviors; to determine the effect of body image on personal and sex variables; and to identify factors that contribute to more frequent and greater comfort with sex. Method: A magazine survey that included items about body image, self-image, and sexual behaviors was completed by 3,627 women. Results: Women more satisfied with body image reported more sexual activity, orgasm, and initiating sex, greater comfort undressing in front of their partner, having sex with the lights on, trying new sexual behaviors, and pleasing their partner sexually than those dissatisfied. Positive body image was inversely related to selfconsciousness and importance of physical attractiveness, and positively related to relationships with others and overall satisfaction. Body image was predictive only of one's comfort undressing in front of partner and having sex with lights on. Overall satisfaction was predictive of frequency of sex, orgasm, and initiating sex, trying new sexual behaviors, and confidence in giving partner sexual pleasure. Discussion: Results indicate that overall self-image and body image are significant predictors of sexual activity. Directions for future research are discussed.

Objectives To evaluate the relationship between women's body image, self‐image, and sexual behaviors; to determine the effect of body image on personal and sex variables; and to identify factors that contribute to more frequent and greater comfort with sex. Method A magazine survey that included items about body image, self‐image, and sexual behaviors was completed by 3,627 women. Results Women more satisfied with body image reported more sexual activity, orgasm, and initiating sex, greater comfort undressing in front of their partner, having sex with the lights on, trying new sexual behaviors, and pleasing their partner sexually than those dissatisfied. Positive body image was inversely related to self‐consciousness and importance of physical attractiveness, and positively related to relationships with others and overall satisfaction. Body image was predictive only of one's comfort undressing in front of partner and having sex with lights on. Overall satisfaction was predictive of frequency of sex, orgasm, and initiating sex, trying new sexual behaviors, and confidence in giving partner sexual pleasure. Discussion Results indicate that overall self‐image and body image are significant predictors of sexual activity. Directions for future research are discussed. © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 28: 422–429, 2000.

This survey study provides descriptive information regarding parents' evaluations of children's physical appearance, eating habits and exercise behaviors, and of parental efforts to influence their children's physical appearance. It further tests hypotheses of gender‐related differences and age effects in parents' evaluations of their children. The study sample included 1,276 adult men and women who were selected from the participants of a body image survey. To be included, respondents had to be a parent of a child between the ages of 2 years and 16 years. A majority of respondents were found to be basically satisfied with their child's physical appearance, eating habits, and exercise behavior. However, increasingly less positive evaluations were reported with increasing age of the child. This shift in attitude was observed already among parents of grade schoolers. Few gender‐related differences were found between male and female respondents, although women appeared to be more involved in influencing children's appearance. Analyses exploring differences concerning gender of the child found mixed results. Some questions resulted in gender‐related differences consistent with the greater importance of beauty for women compared with men, yet our data also suggested that increasingly, men are included in our culture's mandate to value and pursue physical attractiveness.

Women's body-image has social and personal implications. Judgments about the body can be based on appearance (public body-consciousness), internal sensations (private body-consciousness) or body-effectiveness (body-competence). The correlates of body-image and beautification were studied in a group of 245 female undergraduates who completed a body-beautification questionnaire, the Body-consciousness Inventory, the Body-cathexis/Self-cathexis Scale, and questions on feminist identification. Significant correlations were found between public body-consciousness and beautification. Body-cathexis was also correlated with body-competence. For feminists, a competent body was correlated with awareness of internal sensations, while nonfeminists connect a competent body with appearance. Results were discussed in relation to the social and cultural pressures for women to focus on appearance.